SAILING......YATCHING......SAILING for WEEK 12

On Friday,30th October 2009, a very interesting activity for our BEACA's group were sailing from Serasa beach. After previous week we went for jungle trekking so we do sailing that I thought it more relax than jungle trekking. I really excited to hear a news for or BEACA's group activity. This is my first time using yatch although before I do fishing using boat but it different. Our journey were sailing to Pulau Pelumpung (man made Island) and Pulau Muara Besar. As usual purpose of our activity to get know more experience about our beautiful country with has a lot of unique flora and fauna spesies. Our highlight for this activity to gain more knowledge that different from before and also appreciate do our community work for BRUNEI DARUSSALAM ABODE OF PEACE.

"Sailing is the art of controlling a boat with large (usually fabric) foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to change the direction and speed of a boat. Mastery of the skill requires experience in varying wind and sea conditions, as well as knowledge concerning sailboats" themselves.

REF: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sailing (Surf on 01st November 2009)

Our sailing organize or guide by captain Peter and his wife, Aideen Henry. Sailing for beginners the first time can be exciting and a little foreboding at the same time. Before we went to our sailing boat name SV Jenny, we used pontoon boat with can occupied 10 passengers said captain Peter. So, myself in the first group to go to our Sailing boat. In the first group consists of Dr Asmah, Hj Irwan, myself , Nuh, Hafizah, Dyana, Nazz, Hjh Keem, Aideen Henry and captain Peter. I already thought that our pontoon boat was oveloaded. Unfortunately, while on the way to sailing boat probably about a few metre from shore our pontoon boat capsized. I really unexpected about this tragedy. All of us try to save our life. I think in that situation, I also felt panic for several seconds and don't know what to do. I do my best floating my body and I managed to do that. So, I saw life jacket was floating and I try to take it but my friend also want to grab that life jacket, so my friend(Nuh) and I fight for life jacket. It was so funny when I remembered it. I know everyone want to save their life. After that, I checked whether all my friend were safe and thanks God I saw all of my friend were safe. Probably all of electronic stuff were damaged for example handphone, video handycam and camera. All these things were not matter, the important things we all were survive from pontoon boat capsized. This is my first time experience that I never forget. I learnt many experience after pontoon capsized. Three important things were:

1. Be ready for everything and don't be panic.
2. Life jacket need to be used in the boat for safety precaution.
   
3. Makesure put all electronic stuff in a plastic bag.

After the incident, we still need to our sailing activity. We went for sailing using SV Jenny but I felt not very challenging because our yacht was using engine. On the yacht, Aideen Henry give briefieng to us about sailing. I know if sailing we must used our skill to manage yacht by force of the wind but on that day, the wind not strong enough that why I can't feel real sailing. Anyway, I learn something useful on the yacht. I learnt how to read navigator(using GPS) and compass. SV Jenny only can sail on depth of water 2.6 metre. I learnt how to check location where we can sail by using navigator name 'sea map' software. We must know the direction of compass. (North, East, South, West). 'Sea map' software can told us our direction, lattitude, magnitude, force of wind, scale, map and many others useful system. I learnt this because I need to be ready in future if anything happened I hope I can manage or drive sailing boat. Captain Peter teach me how to measure speed of wind by using manual instrument.

In terms of business and economic, I saw people were doing fish farm near Pulau Pelumpung, Muara. Nowadays, fish was high in demand for Bruneian. I think government or non government sector need to be alert to help people or give opportunity who want to do fish farm. This can help to decrease unemployment in Brunei Darussalam. I wonder also why probably no Bruneian doing business on sailing however just foreigner do sailing. I hope one day, it will be manage by Brunei people. This also can develop our economic growth. I also saw Muara port, I saw that infrastructure but I think we need to upgrade Muara port propose for Central Business Area. For example the Port of Singapore is the busiest in the world, surpassing Rotterdam and Hongkong. In addition, Singapore's port infrastructure and skilled workforce, which is due to the success of the country's economic. In the future, probably this will also help to improve our econmic growth.

While along the way on Sailing, Aideen Henry give us explaination about part of sailboat. Bow - the front of the boat, Chock - a guide for an anchor, mooring or docking line, attached to the deck, Rigging - the standing rigging is the mast and support lines, running rigging is the lines with which you adjust the sails, Winch - a metal drum shaped device used to assist in trimming sails, Stern - the back of the boat, Anchor - An object designed to grip the ground, under a body of water, to hold the boat in a selected area. We also learnt how to tied the rope. There are two names of the rope which are the 'King of Knots' and Square Knot. Aideen even asked us to play this game.

We also landed at the Pelumpong Beach, we were given chance to enjoy the scenery ourselves. and take a rest. I took this opportunity to look around the place and I saw that rubbish was just left on the ground. I just wonder, why no one seems to even bother to clean that place. Dr Irene and I took some of the rubbish. I think that place as a potential tourist attraction for recreational activities such as picnicking and diving.

Three most important thing I have learnt:-

1. Always stay calm in expect or unexpected situation.
2. Awalys confident with ourselves.
3. Appreciate our environment.

In my conclusion, this trip was successful although some of our members included myself were face unexpected incident capsized while using pantoon boat on our way to sailboat. But we learnt experience from that. I also suprised I saw beautiful island and beautiful fauna(e.g fish and birds). I also learnt how to pilot sailboat. We were enjoy our trip although we were tired.

"I'd put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don't have to wait till oil and coal run out before we tackle that." - Thomas Edison